Planning a honeymoon.. Virgin islands or Couples Negril

Hi,

First time poster! I have been researching our honeymoon trip for a couple months now. I have found that I always come back to CN. Then I read a couple bad reviews on tripadvisor about out dated rooms and my mind wonders.. I know I know tripadvisor can have some negative people. I first compared negril to cancun, which after a few nights felt CN was more the laid back feel we wanted. Now I have been looking at ST Johns. I was in ST Thomas back in my navy days but never ST Johns. Was wondering if any of you have been to both? I showed my fiancé the resort in st johns and she said um, where's the beach ha! One thing that appealed to me was no passport for the virgin islands. I feel CN would have much more included and it's all inclusive. Help please!

I have not been to CN but have been to CSS and many other all-inclusives in Jamaica. Have also been to St. John several times. Love both Jamaica and St. John. St. John has many gorgeous beaches but the one at CN (I've stayed next door) is also incredible. The main difference to me is how you will be treated. Unless you have big, big bucks to throw down (and maybe not even then) you won't get treated in St. John like you will at Couples. And on a honeymoon, you need to feel special!

we stayed at the Frenchmans Reef Marriott in St Thomas several years ago and then a night in St Johns.

The hotel in St Johns was not an AI but nice, but after staying at the Frenchmans Reef the hotel was a little of a letdown.

We flew into St Thomas via a puddle Jumper from San Juan so it was a long day flying USAir from Va to Clt then to San Juan then to St Thomas. I did not see an airport in St John nor hear any planes. We had to take a taxi to the Ferry and then a Ferry to St John and then another taxi to the hotel. We had a couple large bags on that trip

I like CN because Jamaica is so easy to get to from the East Coast, we can leave at 8:00 am and be sitting on the beach by 2:00

Casey,
I have been to St. John's twice Caneel Bay, and Couples 4 times. I must tell you that St. John's is heaven on earth. Having said that Couples will give you much more for your dollar. You will not regret it one bit if you come to Couples. And for more than half the price!!

We have been to St. John (Stayed at what used to be the Hyatt way back then - May be the Westin now ... Not sure) & it is a GORGEOUS island & we had a wonderful time ... BUT we've only been there once & we've been to Jamaica 11 times with #12 booked .... 6 of those times have been to CN & that is where we're going to again. CN (or any of the Couples resorts - also been to CSA & CSS) is THE MOST relaxing place & the beach is actually as GORGEOUS as the ones on St. John .... The beach is truly amazing at CN .... Soft white sand & crystal clear calm water .... Combine that with the GREAT pool/pool bar area, the GREAT staff, the GREAT food, & the GREAT DRINKS & it's THE BEST vacation you can imagine. The rooms are a little "dated" looking but they are clean & we are not there for the room .... We're hardly even in the room. I don't know where you're looking at staying on St. John, but when we were there, they didn't have but 1 AI option .... The food was EXPENSIVE at the resort ($25 each for breakfast buffet alone) & in Cruz Bay & the beach at the resort was poor so to go to Trunk Bay or one of the beaches that are like CN's beach, you had to pay a taxi something like $11 each 1 way .... This has been a LONG time ago but I'm sure the prices haven't went down. We've also been to Cancun & even though the rooms are fancier there, it in no way compares to CN ..... & neither does the beach.

You will only get biased opinions here. Only because many of us have traveled a lot and keep going to Couples. Was in St Thomas last February and was not really impressed. Megan's bay is certainly nice, but it wasn't couples. There are many nice places, but they are not Couples. There are many nice beaches, but it's not Couples... Go to CN and you will have the time of your life.( how's that for a biased opinion...????)

Definitely go to Couples Negril/CSA for your honeymoon. It's so laid back and romantic with great food and bar choices. And the best thing.....no kids! or singles try to pick up! Any of the Couples Resorts you will love. As far as the bad reviews go. Some people are pickier than others. You have to decide if small things will bother you or not. I know you'll love whatever choice you make. We love CSA!! Congrats to both of you. Good luck deciding.

First off, congratulations on your upcoming marriage and honeymoon! Trying to decide where to go is difficult but you should go with your gut feeling.

Yes, we have been to St. John and to Couples 6 times. St. John was a beautiful island with many outstanding beaches. Most mornings we packed up our jeep with chairs, towels etc. and would try a new beach each day. This was fun and adventurous but we would return to the hotel late afternoon hot and tired. Had a fun time in downtown Cruz Bay with all the shops and dining places but it was very expensive. We saw most of the island and loved the ambiance. But...that being said it was not the most relaxing vacation because we were on the go the whole time. We hope to return in the future at some point. But... Not sure if that's what you want your Honeymoon to be like.
On the other hand, Couples sets the tone for a romantic and relaxing time with the one you love. Not much to think about except where to sit on the beach and which restaurant to have some yummy food. Walking the beach hand in hand at sunset is priceless. You never have to leave the resort or think about prices of drinks or excursions. Couples Negril is a bit smaller and more intimate than Swept Away. Go to YouTube and type in either resort and you'll see many videos that may give you more insight and help you decide.

I would definitely book Couples for my Honeymoon! Do St. John another time, maybe for your 5th Anniversary. But it all depends on what place is calling out to you. Follow your heart!

First, if you want an unbiased answer you've come to the wrong place...most everyone here is going to tell you the any Couples resort, by far, is a better choice. Especially on your honeymoon they'll treat you right with a special welcome and I believe they still give newlyweds couple's massages and an arrival gift basket. We've been to St. Thomas (went to St. John's for a day) once and to Couples CN and CTI (5 times). The Virgin islands are nice and would be a great stop on a cruise. But you just can't beat Couples for all its inclusions, adults only, couples only, and romantic environment.

As for the passports, I think any caribbean travel needs them including the Virgin Islands, in particular your return to the continental US. Plus they make all travel so much easier. Google passport rules, the government has a great site for all passport info. They are well worth the investment.

Even without having been to St. John, or any other island for that matter, I know that Couples will always give you much more for your money. And the "seven mile beach", which is actually only about five miles, is gorgeous. From all of my friends that have been to CN, I have never heard anything negative. We ourselves are long time repeaters to CTI, our upcoming April trip will be number 35. The long time repeaters from CN feel the same way that I do about CTI. The food, drinks, entertainment and especially the staff will give you, not just a vacation, but one incredible experience.

Never to St Johns but I will say that most people who come to Couples keep coming back home to Couples. (We are back for our seventh year in a row) That should say a lot about how they treat you. If it is the beach you are looking for take another look at Couples Swept Away. They are on the famous Seven Mile Beach for nice beachfront walks past other resorts and local shops. This is our favorite Couples.

All Inclusive is the best way to go. The best all inclusive is Couples. I have been to St. Johns and we stayed in a rented home with a private pool for a week. It really was an awesome trip, but after finding Couples I would not go back. As far as the negative reviews, the topic comes up every month or two and the same basic answer comes up as well..."Don't Take the TA reviews too seriously" While it can be a great source of information, it can also be quite misleading. Couples resorts has been voted as one of the best resorts in the world! Not surprising to those of us who keep coming back time after time. Lock your wallet in the safe and eat drink and relax with your loved one all you want. No food shopping, car renting, restaurant hunting, cooking,cleaning, kids (yes I love mine) or tipping (except spa service, drivers and baggage handlers)
It's all about the romance! Choose wisely. Congradulations.

We went to St. John on a cruise. The ship docked in St. Thomas, but we decided to go over to St. John's for the day. Being there only one day doesn't make me an expert, I realize, but it just wasn't all that when we were there. It was a beautiful sunny day. The beach at Trunk bay was very narrow, and fully shaded since it faces North. We snorkeled and thought it just ok. Then the waves picked up and crashed right into the foliage along the beach. Everyone scrambled and the lifeguards told people not to swim. Now, I guess this could have been an anomolly, due to weather, but none of our other stops had conditions like that. (Actually, Barbados was our fav. beach on the cruise). Also, St. John was pretty remote. Other than washrooms, there wasn't much at Trunk Bay except a lot of people. We headed back to St. Thomas, which is just the opposite and very busy.
I've seen some of the St. John rental homes on shows on TV, and while they look gorgeous with their pools and views, they're just too far from the beach for us. Personally we don't like to spend all our time driving to beaches and to get groceries and cooking meals and cleaning up. Plus I think they are better suited to groups, like big families.
We had our wedding, followed by our honeymoon, at CSA. Since then we've also been to CTI and CSS for an anniversary. Couples is the way to go IMHO.